CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - The stresses of work can be tough on the average Marine, so the Single Marine Program funded the Leatherneck II Comedy and Entertainment Tour.to help Marines let loose and forget the rigors of everyday life in the corps.

“The single Marines had been asking for entertainment,” said Michael A. Brown, a ret. sergeant major and program specialist for the Single Marine Program. “That’s where it started. Marines want entertainment.”

“I wanted to give Marines something I didn’t have when I was a junior Marine,” said Brown. “When I was enlisted, there was nothing like this, it’s good for the Marines.”

Before the start of the event, Marine went up on stage to let loose in a dance contest, and participants were given t-shirts.

Comedians Rudy Rush, Brenda Colonna, and Tim Gaither all performed at the event. Vali Porter, a hip hop musician also performed at the event.

“We’re here for the Marines,” said Rush. “Making a lasting impact on them and lightening their mood is important. I personally look forward to making Marines laugh because you guys are protecting my freedom.”

Each of the comedians think of the Leatherneck II Tour Comedy and Entertainment Tour as giving back, said Rush. They do it just to make Marines and sailors laugh, not to be at work.

The Comedy Tour is slated to have 24 shows this year, three of those being at Camp Lejeune.

“I don’t think we’d have Leathernecks II Tour if the first one wasn’t such a success,” said Susan Goodrich, a Single Marine Program coordinator. “Our Marines and sailors benefit from it. It’s a blessing to have something like this for our Marines.”

The Leathernecks Tour does more than just make Marines and sailors laugh, it dismisses the daily operational stress and builds unit camaraderie. The Single Marine Program is scheduled to take the event to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
For more information on the Leathernecks II Comedy and Entertainment Tour, contact Michael A. Brown at brownma@usmc-mccs.org